There’s a very special pet holiday coming up. Specially-abled Pets Day is May 3rd! This day of recognition is meant to draw awareness to a very sad fact: many lovable pets keep getting passed over for adoption because they’re not perfect. A Raleigh, NC vet discusses specially-abled pets below.
T he Plight Of Unwanted Pets
Puppies and kittens typically end up getting adopted pretty quickly. Older pets, however, have a harder time. Pets with medical issues face the toughest odds of all. This is actually heartbreaking, because they tend to be super loving and affectionate to their saviors. Like any other pet, these guys just want someone to love them!
A Loving Pet
What many people don’t realize is that pets often don’t really know—or care—that they are specially abled. Animals are extremely resilient: they just adapt and move on. You may have seen videos of dogs running and playing in wheelchairs. Kitties that are missing an eye or ear can still be super loving and affectionate. And that pooch that is deaf or blind may be the best pet you’ve ever had!
Care
One reason that specially-abled pets often get passed over is that people assume that they need a lot of extra care, which could potentially be time-consuming and expensive. That’s not necessarily the case, though. With many of these pets, you just need to make some adjustments. For instance, you’d need to use baby gates around stairs if you have a blind dog. A deaf cat may learn to respond to vibrations, such as a foot stomp. The main thing is just not to assume the worst. Ask the shelter for more information, and consult your vet. You may find that caring for a specially abled pet is much easier than you thought.
Helping Out
Even if you aren’t quite ready to adopt a specially-abled pet right now, there are still ways you can help them. Spreading the word about pets in shelters can help quite a bit. You could change a pet’s life with a few keystrokes! If you want to go a step further, you can make a donation to a place that helps specially-abled pets. Fostering is an even bigger commitment, but it can be very rewarding.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if ever we can be of assistance. As your Raleigh, NC veterinary clinic, we are here to help!